New designation on ID cards should help vets with benefits

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By Matt Durr

Hillsdale.net - Hillsdale, MI

By Matt Durr

Posted Mar. 4, 2013 at 8:46 AM

By Matt Durr

Posted Mar. 4, 2013 at 8:46 AM

Hillsdale, Mich.

matt.durr@hillsdale.netLANSING  Veterans in the state of Michigan may soon see a welcomed change on their state issued identification. The Michigan House of Representatives approved two bills Thursday that would allow veterans to receive a special designation on their state identification cards acknowledging them as veterans.Rep. Ken Kurtz, R-Coldwater, was pleased to see House Bills 4037 and 4287 passed and hopes the state Senate will approve them soon."The legislation will open many doors for Michigan veterans," Kurtz said. "Now Michigan's veterans will have an easier time cutting through the red tape to receive the services they deserve."A member of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, Kurtz hopes the bills will help veterans gain better access to the benefits designed to them. The desigination wil allow vets to show their ID to retailers and other businesses that offer discounts to veternas. Currently, some vets have had issues getting identifiction from Veterans Affairs to prove to businesses that they actually are who they say they are. With more than 650,000 vets living in Michigan, the measure should help ease the transition for those who served.One of our goals in the state House is to ensure that Michigan veterans have increased access to jobs and opportunities available to help them reintegrate into civilian life. By passing these bills I believe we have taken a big step toward that goal, Kurtz said.